


The Struggles of Growing Up

by Miraculous_ninjabird



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Family Feels, Gen, Kai is a good brother, maybe?? - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:40:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29527923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miraculous_ninjabird/pseuds/Miraculous_ninjabird
Summary: Growing up is something that everyone has to do sooner or later. This is something Kai knows all too well. Unfortunately for him, it had happened on the far end of sooner. But that doesn't mean his sister has to do the same. Being an adult is hard. Keeping just how difficult it is a secret is even harder. It's okay though. He's doing just fine. As long as Nya is happy, he's fine...Otherwise known as Kai struggles to support his little family, Nya learns a little about being an adult, and Kai learns that maybe it's okay to need help.
Relationships: Kai & Nya (Ninjago)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29





	The Struggles of Growing Up

“I’m sorry Nya. I’m going to have to say no. It’s just not going to happen.” Kai shook his head, handing the application form back to her.

“But why? You never let me do anything fun, Kai! All I get to do is go to school. All of my friends are going on this trip. It’s not fair I have to stay behind.” She pouted. Kai could tell she was trying not to reveal how upset she really was. 

“I really need your help around the shop during break. You know it gets busy.” He lied. She couldn’t know how much he was struggling just to balance their everyday lives. It broke his heart to tell her no. A week-long school trip to Ninjago City? It would be an amazing opportunity for her, but the school’s price tag on the trip was nearly three times the cost of the monthly bills. Nya so very rarely asked things of him, that he really wanted to be able to find a way. Unfortunately, he didn’t think it would be possible. Just like every other time.

“I don’t want to help around your shop. All you seem to care about is this stupid shop. Why can’t you let me do what I want to do for once? You always say no when I ask for things. It’s like you don’t care about me at all.” She snaps. 

The comment strikes an ugly chord in him. Kai takes a deep breath, trying to keep his quickly rising temper from slipping away. Getting angry wouldn’t help things. 

“I do care about you. You’re my little sister. But the trip isn’t a possibility right now. Maybe we could relook at having you join one of those clubs in the spring instead?” He tries to compromise. If he lets her join a club, at least she gets to do something fun. They hadn’t had the money at the beginning of the year, but he could probably scrape together enough cash to cover the enrollment fee by then if he picks up odd jobs around town in the evenings.

“In the spring? That’s months away! By then none of my friends will want to hang out with me cause you never let me do stuff with them! All I want is to go on this trip. Why can’t you just let me be a normal kid?!” Hearing that made his temper flare again. Didn’t she realize just how much he sacrificed every day so she could be a normal kid? How good she had it that the worst of her problems was him not allowing her to go on a school trip? 

“Nya. The answer. is. NO. Just go upstairs and do your homework. Don’t bother coming back down to help close up.” He gritted out, unable to keep a rein on his anger. “I don’t want to hear about this again.”

“Please Kai! Just let me do this. I’m begging you. I promise I won’t ask for anything for the whole rest of the year. Please.” Her refusal to drop the subject leaves him far less sympathetic than he was just moments ago.

“I won’t tell you again. This conversation is over. Upstairs. NOW.” The ferocity of his own tone was somewhat startling. He hadn't meant to sound that angry. Tears begin to well up in her eyes and regret immediately fills him. 

“I hate this! I wish you weren't my brother!” She spits before rushing upstairs.

Kai doesn't move for a moment, shocked by the outburst. She didn’t really mean that, did she? Internally he struggles between still being angry and being disappointed in himself. It doesn’t take long for the anger to win. It almost always wins. Storming his way out of the shop, he doesn’t bother to finish putting things away. That would likely come back to bite him, but right now he was too angry to care. He has just enough sense to flip the sign on the post from ‘open’ to ‘closed’ on his way past.

Wandering his way down the main road, he lets his frustration consume him. Why does this have to be so hard?! All he really wants is for Nya to have a normal childhood. He’s sacrificed so much for it. His own childhood. His education (though if he’s being honest he didn’t care too much about that one). Even meals several days a week. Every spare dime he has beyond food and bills goes towards making sure she is as happy and cared for as possible. Every choice he’s made had been centered around whether or not it benefited her. His own life was pretty miserable because of it.

Not that he regretted it. Because of what he’d given up, Nya was still able to go to school. She had friends and got regular meals. She didn’t have the newest clothes or school supplies, but he made sure that what she did have was of decent quality and in good condition. The same could not be said for his own wardrobe or tools. What he had been able to give her was better than anything he’d gotten at any point in the eight years since their parents disappeared. It was obvious though, that in Nya’s eyes, it wasn’t enough. But what could he do? They were barely staying afloat as it was. 

He wasn’t mad at Nya. Not really. It hurt a little that she felt like he didn’t care, (Okay maybe that part hurt a lot), but he wasn’t angry at her. He was angry at their situation. Angry at himself for not being able to handle things better. Angry at his parents for abandoning them and that because of it he’s stuck trying to support a family instead of doing whatever it was normal 16 years olds do. It was entirely unfair. Why did it have to be him?

A strangled sound escapes him as he fails to process all of his emotions. 

“I don’t know what more you want from me! This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t left us! Why? What did I do to deserve this?!” He yells accusingly. What he’s yelling at he isn’t really sure but his logical brain wasn’t in control.

He yells until he can’t anymore. Until his chest is heaving and his voice is raw and the burning anger inside him dies down and is replaced with exhaustion. The empty fields provide no answers to his questions. They never do. 

In the end, Kai really doesn’t feel any better than he did before. There’s still more emotion than he wants to deal with bubbling inside him but it’s getting dark now and there are still things that need doing. At least now he’s not quite so angry. He takes a little longer to collect himself and file his frustrations away for later before turning and heading back home.

The sight of tools to clean and projects to put away greets him when he returns. He pointedly ignores them and heads straight upstairs. That would be a problem for morning Kai. A cursory glance of the small kitchen/living space tells him Nya has already retreated to her room. There is a note waiting for him on the kitchen table.

Already ate. Going to be early. Don’t bother me. -Nya

Well then. At least it means he doesn't have to cook for the two of them. Peeking in the cupboard, he finds there is one granola bar left, a few cans of soup and nothing else. Or at least nothing else that doesn’t require far more work than he’s willing to put in. The fridge yields no better results. Three eggs, (which he’s saving for their breakfast tomorrow) some jam, and a few carrots. Wow, he really needs to go grocery shopping.

Kai settles for the granola bar and soup. Not the greatest combo considering he hadn't had anything else substantial that day but it would have to do. 

With food out of the way, he turns his attention to the dreaded drawer. Fishing the key out of his pocket, he unlocks it and pulls it open to reveal the stack of bills he’s been putting off for over a week now. He stares accusingly at them. These stupid pieces of paper were the root of all his problems. Sighing, he grabs them, as well some scratch paper, the ailing calculator and his mom’s reading glasses that he’d never in a million years admit he needed. Time to get to work.

Two hours pass and Kai is ready to pull his own hair out. Papers covered in calculations lay scattered across the table. No matter how hard he tries, the numbers just won’t cooperate. He thought he’d had it figured out, but then he’d found that doctor’s bill from when Nya was sick a few months back and it had thrown his whole budget into disarray. Propping the glasses up on his forehead, he squints at the calculator. The water was covered, maybe if he paid the electric bill just a week late...then there would be enough for food. But wait. There was that guy coming to fix the heater that he would need to pay and since winter was basically here he couldn’t really put it off anymore. So maybe…the repair on the forge could be delayed? The sound of a creaking door and a quiet voice interrupts his train of thought.

“Kai? What are you doing?” Nya asks, blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

“Nothing. Nothing important.” He hastily replied, attempting to shove everything into a pile under his arm before she could see. “Did you need something?”

“It’s cold.” She murmured, shuffling across the room to sit next to him. “Will you let me sleep with you? You’re always warm.”

This catches Kai a little off guard, considering just hours ago she had been dead set on hating him. Part of him is melting that she’s still seeking him out. The other part is frustrated that she has to. He makes a mental note to bump getting the heater fixed to a higher priority. 

“Aren’t you a little old for that now?” He teases. She gives him a sharp look.

“I don’t care about that. It’s cold, you’re warm. If the answer is no you could just say that instead of teasing.” He winces a little. Still upset with him then.

“Right. Sorry. Yeah. You can, it’s fine. Just let me finish this first, alright? I can get you the spare blanket in the meantime?” 

“Mmm. I can sit out here and wait. It’s fine. I know we don’t really have a spare blanket.” She scoots closer, pressing into his side. He’s torn, not wanting Nya to see just how much he was struggling. At the same time not he doesn’t want to send her away. After a moment, he elects to let her stay. She’s tired and he’s almost done anyways so it should be fine.

Unshuffling all the papers he had swept away in his haste, he identifies the things he’s already dealt with and sets them aside. He spreads the remaining bills out before them, and pops the glasses back down onto his nose. The two sit in silence for some time before Kai reaches the point that he just can’t think anymore. A solution still eluded him but at this point the numbers were swirling uselessly. No more progress would be made tonight. Nya is dozing on his shoulder. He wakes her with a nudge and together they get up and head for his room.

With Nya occupying the end of his bed, he decides to use the bathroom to get ready. It’s a quick process, and soon enough he finds himself crawling into bed. Nya tucks herself into his side, still wrapped tightly in her blanket. He throws his own blanket over her and wraps one arm around her back. She’s asleep within moments. It takes him longer, his mind unable to settle.

Things would get better soon, he thought to himself. Things would get better and then Nya wouldn’t need to sleep in his bed just to stay warm, and he would finally be able to give her everything she deserved. He’ll get things figured out and then it will get better. He’d find a way to make it work for her. Those thoughts circle in his mind until eventually, sleep claims him.

The next morning when he awakes, the bed is empty. Nya isn’t in the kitchen, but he does immediately notice the neatly piled stacks of bills, as well as a plate of still warm eggs. Upon closer inspection, he finds that the bills are organized, marked by the date to be paid. On top of that, there is a piece of paper sitting next to them. On that paper, in Nya’s handwriting, is a written out ledger of everything, bills balanced against what he’d made that month in a way that left everything paid when it needed to be. A mixed wave of relief and horror washed over him. He was glad that he didn’t have to slog through it now, but Nya shouldn’t have been working on it in the first place.

Another surprise greets him when he makes his way downstairs after eating. Everything is clean, organized, and properly put away. The complete opposite of how he’d left things the night before. Nya is sitting at the counter working on homework.

“Nya...what is all this?” She looks up and smiles at him.

“Oh, good morning! You seemed really tired so I decided to help. And I felt bad. For getting mad at you yesterday.” She admits.

“You didn’t have to do that. I would have managed.” He crosses the room to lean on the counter next to her. Nya turns to face him, face scrunched like she wasn’t sure what to say next.

“Kai...why didn’t you just tell me we didn't have the money?” She asks hesitantly. Kai doesn’t answer for a moment, struggling with whether or not to tell the truth. It would be hard to lie now that she had seen it...and in the past his lies mostly resulted in arguments.

“Because you’re 12 years old and you shouldn’t have to worry about any of that.” He finally admitted. “You’re just a kid and should have a chance to be a kid.”

“But you’re only 16. So technically you’re just a kid too and it shouldn’t have to be your problem either.” She countered. “I was really really mad at you yesterday. I was ready to hate you forever. But then I saw you last night and....it was harder to stay mad. When I went through the bills this morning everything made sense. Why you always said no. I just wish you’d have told me. I could have helped. I probably wouldn’t have been so mad every time you said no.”

“You’re right. But someone had to take care of you after mom and dad disappeared. So I did. Even if it meant not telling you the whole truth so you didn’t have to worry so much." Nya stares at him with an unreadable expression. Then out of seemingly nowhere, she’s throwing herself at him, sobbing.

“I’m so sorry Kai! I don’t hate you. You do so much for me, I don’t even know what I’d do without you.” He wraps his arms around her, letting warm tears soak into his shirt.

“You don’t need to apologize. If anyone should be sorry it's me. I got mad when I shouldn’t have.” He murmurs into her hair. Nya clings to him for a moment longer, before pulling back.  
“I guess I can. I don’t know about the whole helping thing since you're still a kid...but I will be more honest.” He compromises. She doesn’t need that burden just yet.

“That’s a start I guess. Just don’t overdo it. I'll never forgive you if something happens because you’re an idiot who doesn't know when he needs help” A snort escapes him at that.

“Alright. Fair enough. I will ask for help when I need it. I won’t lie to you. But you can’t stop me from taking care of you. You’re my little sister and you deserve the world.” Nya smiles tearfully at him.

“You’re my brother and you deserve the same. It’s gonna suck not being able to do the things I want when I want, but I don’t want them if it makes you miserable. If things are hard, we should face them together. Not just you on your own while making me think you're just a jerk that hates fun. Kay?”

“Okay. You promise me that you’ll do your best to enjoy being a kid when you can, and I’ll promise to let you know when you can help. Deal?”

“Deal.” She agrees. He smiles back at her. Things might be hard. They would probably always be hard. But if they could face them together, then maybe, just maybe, things would turn out alright.

**Author's Note:**

> I really felt the need to explore Kai and how he would handle trying to raise Nya on his own. This is the result. Not my best work but I still had fun writing it. Constructive criticism welcomed. I really hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing.


End file.
